INTRODUCTION

A Canadian delegation of two Members of Parliament, Hon. Larry Bagnell and Mr. Larry Maguire, attended the meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (the Standing Committee)[1] held in Bodo, Norway, from 23 to 24 May 2016. Accompanying the delegation was Mr. Thai Nguyen, from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament as adviser to the delegation.

Arctic parliamentary cooperation is facilitated by the Standing Committee between biennial meetings of the Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR),[2] CPAR and the Standing Committee act as a parliamentary forum for issues relevant to the work of the Arctic Council. It comprises delegations from the eight Arctic states (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United States) and the European Parliament. CPAR and the Standing Committee also include Permanent Participants representing indigenous peoples, as well as observers.

MEETING SUMMARY[3]

A. PRESENTATION FROM THE NORWEGIAN JOINT HEADQUARTERS   

Military issues are not a part of the Arctic Council’s mandate. Security issues have, however, been prominent on the Arctic agenda. Maritime search and rescue, environmental security, and human security in the context of climate change are all important topics for Arctic cooperation activities.

The Norwegian Joint Headquarters has the overall command of military activities in Norway. It also controls activities of the Coast Guard, including search and rescue operations, and the Border Guard. Colonel Arne Christian Fjelberg informed the Standing Committee that, although military cooperation between Norway and Russia is currently suspended due to the situation in Ukraine, Norway-Russia cooperation in other areas such as Coast Guard activities, search and rescue, scientific research, border and police services, are not affected.

Colonel Fjelberg noted that, to date, there have been no negative consequences from the freezing of Norway-Russia military cooperation. However, he indicated that, if the situation continues over a long period, there could be challenges and misunderstandings arising from the lack of physical meetings between the two parties. The Colonel noted the Norwegian Joint Headquarters still maintain Skype contact with their Russian counterparts from the Northern Fleet. He added that the establishment of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum[4]in October 2015 was an important step forward to improve cooperation on search and rescue activities in the Arctic.

The Chair of the Standing Committee and Head of the Norwegian delegation informed delegates that Norway-Russia cooperation in fisheries management has been exemplary. He added that Norway’s Minister of Fisheries will travel to Russia to meet his Russian counterpart in June 2016. The minister is the first Norwegian minister to visit Russia since 2014. The Chair expressed the hope that the visit constitutes a sign of a large resumption of contact at the ministerial level between the two countries. Such contact would facilitate better cooperation between Arctic states.

B. PREPARATIONS FOR THE 12TH CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC REGION, RUSSIA, JUNE 2016   

The Russian delegation presented an updated program and agenda for the upcoming 12th CPAR in Ulan-Ude. Canada was designated as the Standing Committee’s rapporteur for the second session that will focus on People in a Developing Arctic. Canada will also co-chair the first session on climate change with Denmark.

The second draft of the Conference Statement was presented by the Secretariat. The Canadian delegation presented to the Standing Committee a number of amendments including a change of wording in a recommendation regarding the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic. That amendment was proposed to ensure that the heavy fuel oil-related recommendation would stay in the final Conference Statement in light of the Russian reservation regarding the original wording.

Further amendments and suggestions for new recommendations must be submitted to the Secretariat by 31 May 2016, and a third draft will be presented during the next Standing Committee’s meeting in Russia in June.

C. STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE   

The Canadian delegation reported to the Standing Committee on the United States-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy, and Arctic Leadership[5] resulting from the visit of Canada’s Prime Minister to the United States on 10 March 2016. One of the most notable features of the Joint Statement is the commitment from the two countries to work together on developing northern shipping corridors that would take into account ecological and cultural areas, migration patterns of wildlife such as whales, indigenous use and navigational data quality.

The Canadian delegation also mentioned that Canada and the United States re-affirmed their goals of protecting at least 17% of land areas and 10% of marine areas by 2020. The two countries will engage all Arctic nations in the development of a pan-Arctic marine protection area network. These goals are in line with the Arctic Council’s work towards a network of marine protected areas and enhanced international cooperation in the Arctic Ocean.

The Canadian delegation indicated, furthermore, that the federal budget, presented on 22 March 2016, dedicates $10.7 million CAD over two years to help Arctic communities off the grid and reliant on diesel power to build renewable energy projects.

In addition, the Canadian delegation informed the Standing Committee that Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans confirmed that Atlantic salmon do make their way to Baffin Island, Nunavut, north of the Arctic Circle. Departmental scientists stated that the discovery is another indication of a changing and warming marine environment in the Arctic. The scientific confirmation also validates Inuit fishers’ traditional knowledge regarding species distribution. Inuit fishers in Nunavut have been reporting unusual catches in recent years.

D. VISIT TO THE JOINT RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRE, NORTHERN NORWAY   

Following the meeting, delegates had the opportunity to visit the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), Northern Norway. Norwegian search and rescue activities are carried out through cooperation between government agencies, voluntary organizations and private companies.

The JRCCs have the overall operational responsibility during search and rescue operations on land and sea. The operations are coordinated either directly from one of two JRCCs which are situated in Bodø and in Sola, near Stavanger, or through one of the 28 rescue sub-centres.

Delegates learnt that regional cooperation is extensive. “Barents Rescue” is a joint biennial exercise between Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Finland hosted the exercise in 2015 and Russia will host the next in 2017. Norway and Russia also conduct joint exercises for marine operations in the Barents Sea.

Commodore Sverre Engeness, Head of the Norwegian Coast Guard, also informed the Standing Committee that fish stocks are moving further north as well as tourism traffic. In addition, there was no ice north of Svalbard during the past winter and the sea ice extent in Norwegian waters is so far below the previous record low.

E. FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE   

The next meeting of the Standing Committee is scheduled for 14 to 16 June 2016 in Ulan-Ude, Russia, as part of the 12th CPAR. Canada will host the Fall meeting of the Standing Committee in Ottawa from 14 to 15 November 2016.

Respectfully submitted,

Mr. Scott Simms, President
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association